MedWest celebrates local athletes

MedWest Health System will recognize outstanding athletes from Haywood, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties and the Cherokee Reservation. The Game On! spot in local newspapers will acknowledge individuals who have exemplified outstanding performance, winning attitudes and/or great sportsmanship.

The outstanding athlete will be recognized with their photo and a summary of their accomplishments. This awards program is open to student athletes, senior citizens, and sports enthusiasts.

Members of the community also may sign up to receive text alerts about the Player of the Week. To sign up for the text alerts, send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Coaches, team members and community residents may nominate an outstanding athlete. Nominations for the Game On! recognition should send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; along with a photo of the athlete, preferably in uniform or in action.

The Naturalist's Corner

This year will mark the 117th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC.) The CBC is the longest-lived and largest citizen-science project in the world.

The count began in 1900. It was the brainchild of Frank Chapman, one of the officers of the fledgling Audubon Society. Chapman created the “bird census” as an alternative to the traditional Christmas “side-hunt,” a contest where groups would shoulder their arms and hit the fields and/or woods — the team that came back with the greatest number of corpses would be declared the winner.